Locking hitch box cover

ABSTRACT

A locking hitch box cover, for a hitch box having an open end and an opening in a side thereof, comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open end of the hitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said body and having a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box upon insertion of the body into the hitch box to restrain the body from withdrawal from the hitch box, and key actuated means comprising a part of the locking mechanism to restrain retraction of the part from the opening. The body includes first, second, third and fourth walls with the locking mechanism mounted on the fourth wall. The fourth wall is free at one end and biased away from the first wall to hold two walls against opposed faces of the hitch box.

United States Patent 1191 Cardin, Sr.

[451 Jan. 1,1974

LOCKING HITCH BOX COVER [76] Inventor: Carl J. Cardin, Sr., 425 W. GraceSt., Punta Gorda, Fla. 33950 22 Filed: July 23, 1971 211 App]. No.:165,634

Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia Assistant ExaminerReinhard J. Eisenzopf [57 ABSTRACT A locking hitch box cover, for a hitch box having an open endand an opening in a side thereof, comprising a body shaped for insertionin the open end of the hitch box, a key operated locking mechanismattached to said body and having a part biased to enter the opening inthe hitch box upon insertion of the body into the hitch box to restrainthe body from withdrawal from the hitch box, and key actuated meanscomprising a part of the locking mechanism to restrain retraction of thepart from the opening. The body includes first, second, third and fourthwalls with the locking mechanism mounted on the fourth wall. The fourthwall is free at one end and biased away from the first wall to hold twowalls against opposed faces of the hitch box.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures LOCKING HITCH BOX COVER This inventionrelates to a trailer hitch box cover which is held in place by a lockingmechanism that is attached to one of the flexible sides of the hitch boxcover and requires a key to lock the hitch box cover in place and tounlock the hitch box cover before removing the hitch box cover from thehitch box.

The present invention relates to trailer hitches particularly the towingvehicle mounted hitch box into which the tongue of the towed vehicle isinserted and attached, and has among its objects and advantages theprovision of an improved hitch box cover.

Hitch box covers provide a useful function in that they prevent theentrance of dirt, and destructive road materials into the hitch box aswell as masking the unsightly appearance of the uncovered end of thehitch box.

In the past the hitch box covers have been fastened to the hitch box byfriction, a screw, or by a bolt and cotter pin. For such reasons thehitch box covers have been lost because of theft or vibration.

Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a hitch boxcover of such construction as to prevent loss thereof due to theft orvibration.

Another object is to provide a hitch box cover which may be effectivelysecured to the hitch box without requiring any alteration in thestructure of the usual hitch box.

A further object is to provide a hitch box cover adapted for use withconventional hitch box design and in which the hitch box cover isprovided with a locking mechanism feature.

A further object is to provide a hitch box cover with a lockingmechanism and with material and such that all parts of the hitch boxcover are rust proof.

Further and more specific objects of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the hitch box cover showing the hitch boxcover in an unlocked position and aligned for insertion into the hitchbox.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the hitch box cover showing the hitch boxcover in its locked position.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the hitch box cover and the hitchbox showing the locked relationship between the hitch box cover and thehitch box.

In the drawings a conventional hitch box is shown at 10, which box maybe welded, or otherwise suitably attached to support 1 l of a towingvehicle. The hitch box is generally square or rectangular in crosssection and has an open end 12 so as to provide a socket for the tongueof a trailer hitch. Openings 13 and 14 are provided in walls 15 and 16respectively for reception of the usual bolt (not shown) which connectsthe tongue of the trailer hitch with the hitch box. The structure so fardescribed is old and well known in the art and need not be described infurther detail.

In FIG. 1 the body 18 is of such size and shape as to fit inside thehitch box and comprises a single strip of suitably flexible sheet metalbent to provide walls 19, 20, 21 and 22. The facing 23 is attached towall 22 by welding or other suitable means. Walls 19 and 21 arepositioned at slight obtuse angles to wall 22 and wall 20 is positionedat right angles to wall 19 but wall 21 is a continuation of wall 22 andis unattached with respect to wall 20. Thus the walls 19 and 21 must bemoved or flexed inwardly toward each other to permit insertion of body18 into the hitch box. Since the width of wall 22 is such that when thewalls 19 and 21 are parallel, they will fit snugly against the walls 15and 16 respectively.

To the body end 22 is attached a cover facing 23 of a size slightlygreater than the outside end dimensions of the hitch box to serve as anattractive closure therefor.

The locking mechanism of the hitch box cover is at- I tached to wall 21and most of it is located between walls 19 and 21. This mechanismcomprises a cylindrically headed bolt 24 which is threaded the fulllength of the head. The bolt passes thru an opening 29 properly locatedin wall 21 and is held in place by a nut 25 to wall 21. A locking line26 has a circular hole just large enough so that it can slide over thethreaded bolt 24, nut 27 is now screwed in place so as to just allowfree rotation of link 26, nut 28 acts as a locking nut to hold nut 27 inits proper location. In bolt 24 there is a circular hole 30 that passesall the way thru it and parallel to its axis. A strap like key (notshown) passes thru the bolt and engages into the rectangular slot 31 inthe locking link 26 for the purpose of rotating the locking link 26. Thebolt 24 is so mounted on wall 21 in such a position that when the body18 is pushed all the way into the hitch box the cylindrical head of thebolt 24 will snap into the opening 14 in the wall 16 due to the need toflex the walls 19 and 21 inwardly in order that the end of the bolt headwill slide along the inside of wall 16 until it comes in alignment withopening 14.

To lock the hitch box cover in the hitch box to prevent loss due tovibration or theft, the locking link 26 is turned by the the strap likekey which passes thru opening 30 and engages the rectangular opening 31in link 26. The link 26 is now rotated clockwise until its end 32 comesin contact with the inside face of wall 20 and this rotation motion ofthe key is continued very slightly while side 21 is flexed inwardly byinward pressure on the head of the key which is in contact with theouter surface of the bolt head 24. The end 32 of the locking link 26 nowslides inwardly on the inner surface of wall 20 until it snaps into slot33 and the slight clockwise rotating motion being applied to the keywill cause the end 32 of the locking link 26 to reach the bottom of slot33 and continue into slot 34, and by relaxing the inward pressure on thekey the flexing of side 21 will cause the end 32 of the locking link tocome to rest in slot 34 and out of line with slot 33 therefor reachingthe locking position of the hitch box cover.

Thus the wall of slot 34 acts as abutment or stop which prevents thecylindrical head of the bolt from being pushed out of the opening 14 forenough to allow the hitch box cover to be drawn out of the hitch box.

To unlock and remove the hitch box cover from the hitch box the key ispassed thru the slot 30 until it engages the slot 31 of the locking link26. Now push the key further inward so that the large outer end of thekey presses against the bolt head 24 and further pressure on the keywill cause wall 21 to flex and the end 32 of the locking link 26 will bein line with slot 33 in wall 20, holding this pressure on the key androtating the key counter clockwise until the end 32 of the locking link26 is disengaged from slot 33 in wall 20. Now holding the end 32 of link26 by means of the key in this position and reducing the axial pressureon 24 so that the flexing action of side 21 will bring side 21 back incontact with the inside surface of 16. Now remove the key from slots 31and 30. With one of the fingers of the right hand press 24 inward untilthe outside surface of 24 is just beyond the inside of wall 16. Holding24 in this position and with the left hand remove the hitch box coverfrom the hitch box.

The pressure relationship between walls 19 and 21 and walls 15 and 16respectively may be increased if desired by the provision of acompression spring 35 interposed between wall 19 and 21 of the hitch boxcover and held in place by suitable means such as welding or riveting.

In view of the flexible walls 19 and 21 of the hitch box cover the body18 of the hitch box cover is of such construction as to compensate insome degree for variation in the inside sizes of the hitch boxes toeliminate loose fits which might cause some rattle when using the hitchbox cover that is designed for that size hitch box. If desired thefacing 23 of the hitch box cover can be provided with a flourescentmaterial to serve as an additional warning indicator easily seen byvehicles approaching from the rear. The hitch box cover is designed forlow cost production thru the use of standard materials and availabilityof most of the parts on the open market.

What is claimed is:

l. A hitch box cover for a hitch box having an open end and an openingin a side thereof comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open endof the hitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said bodyand having a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box uponinsertion of said body into the hitch box to restrain the body fromwithdrawal from hitch box, and key actuated means comprising a part ofsaid locking mechanism to restrain retraction of said part from saidopening and in which said body includes first, second, third and fourthwalls with said locking mechanism mounted on the fourth wall, saidfourth wall being free at one end and biased away from the first wall tohold two walls against opposed faces of the hitch box.

2. A hitch box cover for a hitch box having an open end and an openingin a side thereof comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open endof the hitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said bodyand having a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box uponinsertion of said body into the hitch box to restrain the body fromwithdrawal from hitch box and key actuated means comprising a part ofsaid locking mechanism to restrain retraction of said part from saidopening and in which said body comprises first, second, third and fourthwalls, said second and fourth walls being flexible and normally at anobtuse angle with respect to the first wall, to be flexed toward eachother upon insertion of the body in the hitch box, said lockingmechanism being mounted on the fourth wall, and said third wallcomprising an abutment for the locking link to restrain flexure of thefourth wall and retraction of said part from said opening.

3. A hitch box cover for a hitch box having an open end and an openingin a side thereof comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open endof the hitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said bodyand having a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box uponinsertion of said body into the hitch box to restrain the body fromwithdrawal from hitch box and key actuated means comprising a part ofsaid locking mechanism to restrain retraction of said part from saidopening and in which said body includes opposed walls for engagementwith opposite inside faces of the hitch box and in which the lockingmechanism is mounted on one of the walls and in which two of said wallsbeing flexible with respect to another wall and a compression springinterposed between the flexible walls.

1. A hitch box cover for a hitch box having an open end and an openingin a side thereof comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open endof the hitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said bodyand having a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box uponinsertion of said body into the hitch box to restrain the body fromwithdrawal from hitch box, and key actuated means comprising a part ofsaid locking mechanism to restrain retraction of said part from saidopening and in which said body includes first, second, third and fourthwalls with said locking mechanism mounted on the fourth wall, saidfourth wall being free at one end and biased away from the first wall tohold two walls against opposed faces of the hitch box.
 2. A hitch boxcover for a hitch box having an open end and an opening in a sidethereof comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open end of thehitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said body andhaving a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box uponinsertion of said body into the hitch box to restrain the body fromwithdrawal from hitch box and key actuated means comprising a part ofsaid locking mechanism to restrain retraction of said part from saidopening and in which said body comprises first, second, third and fourthwalls, said second and fourth walls being flexible and normally at anobtuse angle with respect to the first wall, to be flexed toward eachother upon insertion of the body in the hitch box, said lockingmechanism being mounted on the fourth wall, and said third wallcomprising an abutment for the locking link to restrain flexure of thefourth wall and retraction of said part from said opening.
 3. A hitchbox cover for a hitch box having an open end and an opening in a sidethereof comprising a body shaped for insertion in the open end of thehitch box, a key operated locking mechanism attached to said body andhaving a part biased to enter the opening in the hitch box uponinsertion of said body into the hitch box to restrain the body fromwithdrawal from hitch box and key actuated means comprising a part ofsaid locking mechanism to restrain retraction of said part from saidopening and in which said body includes opposed walls for engagementwith opposite inside faces of the hitch box and in which the lockingmechanism is mounted on one of the walls and in which two of said wallsbeing flexible with respect to another wall and a compression spRinginterposed between the flexible walls.